In conversation with Richard Heayes

Designed for Life

This episode was recorded some time ago but I have held it for release in the buildup to Christmas; so please do excuse the format not being quite the same as the latest pods. In this podcast, we are privileged to be in conversation with Richard Heayes a master of toy and games design.
Richard trained in Industrial Design but, through a combination of chance and serendipity, transitioned over time into the guru of games and toys that he is today.
Richard was Principal Designer and Global Design Director for over eight years for Hasbro, one of the biggest game and toy companies in the world and owners/makers of such well-known brands as Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit and Taboo. In this time, he managed everything from design through to manufacture and marketing of 'memories in a box'.
Seven years ago, Richard set up his company Heayes Design which prides itself in its holistic approach to game and toy design, manufacture, marketing and distribution. He now uses his wide expertise and the empathy that is second nature to him as a designer to bring ideas to life and ultimately to market.
What makes a good game? Richard's response:
- Is it inclusive? Does it make you feel smart? No one wants to feel stupid playing
a game
- Is it social? Does it encourage social engagement?
- Does it make you feel happy?
So grab a tea or a coffee, pull up a chair and listen to Designed for Life in conversation with Richard Heayes.
This podcast has been recorded with the help of our sponsors The Edge Foundation https://www.edge.co.uk/ inspiring the education system to give all young people across the UK the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to flourish in their future life and work, and PTC Onshape Providing industry-standard cloud-based CAD to education https://www.ptc.com/en/news/2020/ptc-onshape-education-enterprise-plan-available-free-of-charge
We are indebted to both The Edge and PTC Onshape for their continued support.